


No matter how far, don't worry baby

by Cefhclwords



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Car Accidents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hospital, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Kisses, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:22:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23909116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords
Summary: “M’here now” Eric breathed, his voice thick as he let his eyes drop shut. His chest ached at seeing Dele so small, so fragile, so still. His stomach lurched violently as he imagined Dele’s body being tossed about in the crash. The way the seatbelt must have pulled hard to keep him safe, how something must have shattered, glass blew in from somewhere to make all the cuts, maybe the dash window, something torn into the soft skin. The soft skin of Dele’s cheeks, the smooth skin, so soft under his eyes, where he’d squeal if Eric kissed, saying he was gross trying to kiss his eyeballs. Eric let out a low whine, closed his eyes tighter and pressed his face further into the warm curve of Dele’s hand.
Relationships: Dele Alli/Eric Dier
Comments: 8
Kudos: 70





	No matter how far, don't worry baby

**Author's Note:**

> Hi bubs!! I have been busy busy with uni placement at the hospital but this little fic couldn't leave my mind, been chipping away at it for a few days now and finally got it done. Just your classic hurt comfort! sorry of it feels boring or repetitive, I just love writing this stuff!! I'd love love love to know what you think!! <3 A kudos or comment would mean the world each one is like a little present! Hope you're all doing well, staying safe and sane and taking care of yourself!! <3 
> 
> (Title from ain't no mountain high enough!)

Eric missed the first call. 

When he'd arrived at his sister's place, his phone was abandoned by the front door in favour of getting an armful of his nieces and nephew, piling in in his chest with shouts of “Uncle Eric!”. 

After a long morning of playing in the yard with them, finger painting and a repeat viewing of Moana, Eric was stood in the kitchen gulping down a glass of water. Steffi had collected the kids for nap time and let Eric finally have a reprieve, thankful for the moment of silence. As much as he adored the little ones, the twins had a tendency to squeal rather than talk was high at their young age and Eric’s ears needed the time to recover. 

Besides, after nap time was usually tea party time and those tiny chairs always did a number on his knees, and he’d promise Dele he'd make them a home-cooked meal tonight if they stayed at Eric’s place, so he’d take the rest while he could have it. 

Eric let out a small sigh as placed the cup under the tap once more, turned it on to fill the glass before he bought it to his lips once more. As Eric flicked off the tap, the loud buzz of his phone on the sideboard near the front door became evident, and he turned, finished half the glass before he took his phone into his hand. He accepted the call without looking at the number, assumed it was either Jan calling him back or Dele asking when he should come over that night. 

“Hello?” he asked once he’d pulled the glass away from his lips, voice rough before he licked his lips and swallowed to clear his throat. 

“Hello?” He tried again when he was met with silence. 

“Is this Mr Eric Dier?” 

The voice on the other line was foreign to him, an unfamiliar woman’s voice, an accent he couldn’t quite pick up. 

“Yes, it is, can I ask what this is about?” Eric was quick to ask, wary of someone he didn’t know having his number, knowing all business enquires went through the club or his manager, and his number was only for those he knowingly gave it out to. 

“His Mr Dier, My name is Lucy from Barnet Hospital, I’m calling on behalf of a Bamidele Alli? He has you listed as his next of kin”

Eric’s heart was somewhere deep in his stomach, thundering hard as the sound of his own breath roared thick across his ears, his face heating as his fingers curled tighter around the phone. 

His breath punched out and he had to fight to draw air in, brow furrowed as his chest burned tight. “Is he? Is he ok? what’s- why? I mean yes, I’m, it’s just Dele not- but yes, I’m his next of kin, I’m his partner what’s- what’s happened is he ok? Is he alright?” Eric blinked hard, his tongue felt thick in his mouth, and he pressed his lips hard together before he pushed an exhale through his nose. 

“Bamidele, Dele, rather, was involved in a motor vehicle accident” Eric’s heart thundered harder in his ears and the words made his knees push in, his stomach tangled tight in sudden fear. His breath stuttered heavily as he took two steps toward the front door before he turned around, two steps toward the stairs before he realised the voice on the other line was still talking. 

“I- sorry I what, what- what happened is he? Is he ok? I. What do you mean?” Eric rambled out, the fear glued his feet to the floor, uselessly trapped between running out the door or going to Steffi first. His mind was fuzzed out, had blurred out in a fray of Dele’s name wrapped around the words accident, his brain trying to make sense of it as his body revolted in fear, to make sense of it, Dele needed him, Dele needed him and he needed to focus damn it. 

“He is stable, but unconscious for the moment, if you’re able to make your way here we will be able to give you more information, he was asking for you when bought him in”

“Okay, I- I can be there in fifteen, ten- I I’ll be there’ Eric rambled, messily dropped the glass cup to the sideboard spilling half of it before he scrambled to pat down his pocket, confirming his key was tucked in there securely. He listened to the woman’s instructions over the phone, what ward Dele was on and the best place to park. He hung up the phone as he half-ran up the stairs, breaths coming in short bursts as his stomach twisted anxiously. 

“Stef, Steffi” Eric called out, his hand curled around the balustrade as he reached the last stair, his fingers gripped tight before they relaxed out again, repeating the motion as his heart lept up into his throat with each beat. 

“Eric, you’ll wake them, I just got the twins-” His sister’s voice was a harsh whisper, eyes sharp as she stepped out of the bedroom. Her sentence died in her throat and her eyes dropped wide as she looked at her brother properly. She pulled the door gently closed behind her before she moved across the hall to him, hands collecting his own and squeezing once. 

“Hey, hey what’s wrong? What’s happened Eric?” her voice kind, but urgent, thumbs rubbing softly over the backs of his hands. 

“Dele” Eric spilled out before he drew in a sharp breath, panic and dread seeping cold down from his chest into the pit of his stomach. 

“Dele, Dele’s uh-” Eric’s voice broke and he drew in a long breath to try and settle his mind. Dele needs him, Dele needs him he needed to focus. “He had an accident, he’s he’s at Barnet Emergency, they called me cause I’m his- he’s stable but he’s unconscious- I don’t” Eric scrubbed a hand over his face. 

“I need to go, I’m going to go ok? And I need to call his mum and, and” Steffi nodded, wrapped an arm around Eric’s shoulder and nodded, calm in the way she had always been, level headed and focused, even in hard times. 

“Alright love, come on, he’ll be fine Eric, you gotta relax so you can drive ok?? I’d take you but Peter’s not home for another hour” she explained, voice low and kind, reassuring as she walked them through the house to the front door. 

The drive to the hospital went in the blink of an eye, Eric’s hands so tight around the wheel his knuckles had gone white with it, maybe, definitely pushing the speed limit up until he pulled onto the road the hospital was on. 

Steffi had gotten him into the car easily, made sure he had settled enough to drive before he got behind the wheel, told him that he would call Dele’s mum and Harry and for him just to focus on Dele. 

Eric bustled into the front doors with all the elegance of a toddler still learning how to walk, eyes darted half wild around the room, figuring out where he needed to go. His fingers curled around his keys, let the sharp edge of his house key press hard into the softness of his fingers. His eyes finally fell to the large desk to the left of the room, slightly obscured from sight from the congestion of people sat in chairs and bustling through, nurses, doctors and patients alike. Eric began to make his way toward the desk two long strides before he firmly knocked into one of the passing people, his hands came out to catch them with a gasp. 

“Sorry- I- Sorry I’m sorry, are you alright?” Eric rambled, eyes jumped between the young nurse he’d all but cleared off his feet, and the desk, the large white doors propped open that lead down a hall in the distance. 

“It’s alright mate, are you ok? Are you here for someone?” the nurse asked and placed a hand on Eric’s arm. I can help you find where you need to be” he offered, eyes kind and Eric nodded quickly. “Please, please that would be, my um-” Eric paused and his breath stuttered, the reality of the situation washed heavily over him in a breath, a consideration that didn’t matter, not till now, even then, it didn’t matter, it didn’t matter, but it did. “My- Dele, I’m his next of- I just need help finding a room, they called me” Eric settled on as his explanation, acutely aware that his six-four frame, buzzed hair and rather messy entrance was anything but subtle. He just hoped in vain that no one had pulled their phones out. He was being paranoid maybe, but he’s also learned his lesson before, that he could never be too careful. 

The nurse nodded, seemingly settled with Eric’s rambling description, leading Eric to the desk. Eric reached back to tug his hood up over his head, the illusion of a least a fraction of privacy making him feel more settled. It was enough, for now, all he could do when the most important thing was getting to Dele, being there for him. 

“Alright Dele you said?” the nurse asked him, looking up at him from where he’d moved to stand behind the desk, staring at a computer screen. 

“Um yes, Dele, Bamidele Jermaine Alli he- I don’t know, he got into an accident I haven’t been told much” Eric breathed, tucked his keys into his back pocket and cracked his knuckles anxiously, eyes scanning over the desks, the groups of people filtering in and out, flurries of papers being passed between them. He blinked heavily against the harsh fluorescent lights, let his gaze drop back to the nurse who had a small frown as his eyes darted back and forth. 

“Ah, Bamidele?….here we go, yes- I’m guessing your Eric?” he asked, looking up at him. Eric’s heart sunk for a split second, already wondering how quickly he’d need to call his manager to organise a non-disclosure agreement if he’d need to that now- before he even got see- he just wanted-. 

“He was asking ‘Eric’ when he got in, told me to call Eric” the nurse smiled softly, and the fear in Eric ebbed away quickly, able to offer a small smile back to the nurse with a nod of his head. 

“I’m Jacob, I was looking after Dele when he came into emergency, I was just here dropping off some papers that they missed in the transfer up here” he explained, waving the stack of papers he had held tight in one hand. Eric nodded, the movement was somewhat stilted. He’d somehow managed to maybe find one of the very few young males in the local area that didn’t recognise Dele or himself by name or face apparently. 

“Is he ok? I don’t, the woman on the phone told me that they would tell me once I was here- I” Eric trailed off and reached back to scratch as his neck, his whole body thrumming with the need to be with Dele, to check with his own eyes that he was alright. 

Jacob nodded, walked around from behind the desk and began to walk toward the large doors, hodded his head in a silent request for Eric to follow him. “I’ll make sure I ask the nurse looking after his bed today to page the doctors, they do their last rounds around five or six usually, so they should come and talk to you about everything” Jacob explained and Eric nodded, following him eagerly. 

“Don’t take my word on it, because the doctors can be awfully particular with these things, but I’d say he’d be right for discharge tomorrow around lunchtime, they like to get as many people out before the weekend as possible, and he should be good to recover at home if all stays stable” he explained and Eric felt like he got half his lungs back, able to breathe a little deeper. "they'd even push to discharge him tonight, but he did have some unconsciousness in the ambulance so they want to monitor overnight for any possible head trauma, but so far all signs point to no issues at all, it's more precautionary if anything" he explained, voice calm and clear. 

Jacob turned the corner and walked a few long steps before coming to a pause outside of a single room with a closed door, the numbers “441” printed large on the left side of the door frame. 

“Just a heads up, he is unconscious currently, he has a fracture in his hand, near his wrist that had to be reset, so he was given an anesthetic to reduce the pain he’d experience. He woke in recovery, but drifted off again, the anaesthetic can cause a lot of drowsiness" Jacob explained, paused for a moment as another nurse passed by and reached out for the papers he was holding, took it with a "thank you sweet" before continuing down the haul. 

"He should wake out of it any moment now really" Jacob continued and turned back to Eric, "but he might still be a bit out of it or confused” he explained. “He also sustained some scrapes and cuts on his face, some bruising, it looks a bit nasty, but they are all superficial, they’ve been cleaned and shouldn’t cause him any trouble as long as they are clean” he explained, and Eric nodded but his eyes were glued to the door. 

“Use the buzzer if he needs anything when he wakes again, alright” Jacob smiled, clasped a hand on Eric’s shoulder before he turned and continued down the hall. 

Eric’s chest went tight, anxiety thundered through him as he reached for the door handle, drew in a shaky breath before he pushed the door open, slipped inside quickly and closed it behind him. He drew his eyes up once he was sure of their privacy, falling straight to Dele. 

The hospital bed was large, neatly fitted with crisp white linen and piles of blankets that made Dele’s figure look so small. His skin was pale, like he usually looked in the dead of winter, when all his summer colour had gone. Eric’s hands wrapped tight around his own waist and gripped hard to his own sides, fingers trembling. Dele's lips were parted ever so slightly, a clear oxygen tube that sat against his nostrils and sent offer the lines of his cheekbones to hook over his ears, breaths slow and steady. 

The worst of the cuts were under his eye and across his cheekbone, a long scrape haloed by bruises, purple and blue, smaller cuts were flickered across the rest of his face, lines of red broken skin, dried blood smeared near his mouth and his hairline, bruises that bloomed dark along the line of his jaw. 

Tears spilled thick and heavy from Eric’s eyes with his next blink, he forced out a sharp exhale and stepped closer to the bed, his hand fell to the end of the bed, fingers traced feather-light over his toes as he closed his eyes for a moment. 

“Baby” he said on an exhale, tears coming faster as they streaked down his cheeks.

The covers were tucked up high on his chest, his arms laying out of the blankets, a cannula in his right arm, just below the crease of his elbow, attached to a few bags of fluid hanging up behind him his left secured in bandages and a brace. 

Eric’s breath shuddered out and a half-there sob broke over his bottom lip, deafeningly loud in the silence of the room, his fingers slid down to seek out the feeling of Dele’s ankle under the covers, squeezing once. Dele didn’t move with the touch, uncharacteristically still, body stiff, unlike it ever was. Eric was convinced that even in the deepest of sleep, Dele could run a marathon, god knows he tried half the time, the number of times Eric had woken up from a firm heel to the thigh or a knee to the kidney was well into the double digits. Eric squeezed again, but it was useless, Dele remained perfectly still, no kick of his foot or wiggle of his fingers, no shift of his shoulders or a whine and squirming onto his chest. 

Eric moved closer still, reached fro the chair by Dele’s beg and dragged it until it was right next to the bed, sat down in it as he took one of Dele’s hand in both of his. His thumbs rested together on the back of his hand, he caught the sob wanting to escape that time, pressed his lips together and muffled it in a small whimper instead. He picked up Dele’s hand and bought it to his mouth, kissed each of his knuckles before he unfurled Dele’s hand and pressed it over his cheek, his own hand layered safely on top to keep it there. 

“M’here now” Eric breathed, his voice thick as he let his eyes drop shut. His chest ached at seeing Dele so small, so fragile, so still. His stomach lurched violently as he imagined Dele’s body being tossed about in the crash. The way the seatbelt must have pulled hard to keep him safe, how something must have shattered, glass blew in from somewhere to make all the cuts, maybe the dash window, something torn into the soft skin. The soft skin of Dele’s cheeks, the smooth skin, so soft under his eyes, where he’d squeal if Eric kissed, saying he was gross trying to kiss his eyeballs. Eric let out a low whine, closed his eyes tighter and pressed his face further into the warm curve of Dele’s hand. 

He wouldn’t- he wouldn’t think about it, the what if, the way it looked, how they would have found Dele unconscious, or worse, awake and terrified, wanting Eric, Eric who wasn’t there. Eric pressed his lips together tightly, let out a harsh breath through his nose and shook his head. Eric ran his thumb back and forth of Dele’s hand, alternated between the soft touches and bringing Dele’s hand to his mouth, pressing kisses to his fingertips, running them over his cheeks, eyes closed as he kept his breaths slow and steady. 

He forced his eyes open after a few long moments, didn’t want to lest himself fall into the worry and fear brewing in him, he needed to be here, needed to be present for Dele, he needed to remind himself that Dele was ok, he would be ok. He would be ok, he would be ok and Eric had him, Eric had him in his hands now and wasn’t letting him go. 

His eyes fell to Dele’s arm, the cannula pierced into the skin, secured by a clear dressing and what looked like white tape. His skin looked red and angry around it, some dried blood and Eric’s stomach lurched. Even the idea of the little needle hurting Dele’s skin made him feel sick and it felt stupid to care so much about it when Dele’s whole body had been tossed around in the car, but he couldn’t help it. 

Eric closed his eyes again, tucked Dele’s hand against his neck, leant in closer to the bed with a soft sigh and tried to focus on not worrying himself, not working himself up more than he had, tried to tell himself things would be ok, that worrying didn’t make sense, didn’t aid him in being there for Dele. 

A small sniffle made Eric’s eyes snap open, falling to Dele’s face as a small whine fell from Dele’s lips, his nose scrunching again and his lashes gave a small flutter. Eric watched carefully, not wanting to wake Dele if he was only going to settle again, as much as he wanted to talk to him, he wanted him to heal as he should. With another whine, the finger’s on Dele’s injured hand twitched and his hand moved slightly, dragged up his chest. Eric sat up further, placed the hand he had of Dele’s against the mattress once more, still tangled with his own. 

Dele huffed and his hand pushed up again once more, the movement make Eric wince and he reached up to cup a hand on Dele’s cheek. “Shhh love” he breathed, trying to settle him, stop him from moving his arm and causing himself any pain. Dele let out a long exhale, his face turned in towards Eric’s palm, his nose scrunched again as his eyes squeezed close and then relaxed, lashes fluttering as they settled. 

“Its alright love, just relax” Eric mumbled, moved one finger to pet over Dele’s brow, trying to settle him, but Dele continued to wake, eyes shifting under his lids, his lips pressed together before his mouth fell open again with a small huff. 

“Nose” Dele’s voice was thick and scratchy, a small mumble that Eric was just able to understand. 

“Hmm?” Eric asked, unsure why that, of all things, had been what fell from Dele’s mouth. 

“Nose s’itchy” Dele muttered his fingers twitched again and then his nose and Eric smiled fondly, let out a shaky laugh and moved his hand to gently scratch at Dele’s nose, who pushed up into it, rubbed his nose against Eric’s fingers before he sunk back into the bed with a sigh. 

Eric smiled and moved his hand away from Dele’s face, moved it to rest over his chest, thumb rubbing back and forth steadily as he watched Dele fight to wake up, slowly beginning to move his head slightly, shoulders shifting. 

A whine fell from Dele’s lips again and Eric frowned, continuing the steady movement of his thumb, sat forward to be closer to Dele. “It’s alright love, be careful” he cooed, knowing how disorientating it was waking up after anaesthesia, and not to mention the accident. 

Dele’s whimpers grew, soft sounds of discomfort that had Eric’s heart rate kicking up, worry tangible in the back of his throat once more. His hand drifted to find the call buzzer for the nurse, worried that Dele wasn’t getting enough pain relief through all the wires and tubes he was hooked up to. 

“Eric” Dele’s voice was small and hurt, shaking over the word. 

“I’m right here, right here baby, it’s alright I’m here” Eric said, snuffled closer to the bed and squeezed Dele’s hand, the hand on his chest petting gently, light in a steady rhythm. 

“Eric” Dele whined and Eric’s eyes sparked with tears as he watched Dele’s face bloom into upset, the face he made when he was about to cry. 

“Oh love, it’s alright, open your eyes, I’m right here now love, I’ve got you” Eric cooed, lifted Dele’s hand carefully to fit it against his chest. Dele’s fingers curled down into Eric’s jumper with as much strength as he could muster, tugged down and Eric got up to lean in closer. He sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed his hand across his chest, rubbed gently to encourage him to wake up fully. 

It seemed to do the trick, Dele drew in another shuddering breath before his brown eyes blinked open heavily, lashes wet as his eyes darted around the room. His lashes fell closed for a long blink before he pushed them open again, catching Eric’s gaze. 

Eric’s breath stuttered and he moved his hand back up to Dele’s cheek, careful to avoid the worst of the wounds, let his fingers skim Dele’s hairline, caught a loose curl between his fingertips. “Hey” Eric whisper, his voice shakier than expected, and he had to swallow hard around the sudden dryness of his mouth. 

Dele just blinked for a moment, the wetness of his lashes spreading to the dark skin under his eyes, more shadowed than usual. His face was soft, gaze unfocused and face slack, void of any emotion. Dele’s gaze lingered on Eric, jumped around the room again before they fell to Eric’s once more. 

Between one blink and the next, Dele’s brow collapsed in a deep wrinkle, his bottom lip pushed out as he let out a low whimper before he drew in a shuddering breath so deep that his shoulders trembled with it. A loud sob burst from his mouth before another great shuddering breath and Eric leant forward to collect Dele into his arms, gentled placed one hand behind his head, at the base of his skull to cradle the weight of him as he tucked him into his chest. 

“Hey, hey It’s okay, you’re okay, a little scratched up, but you’re alright” Eric whispered, his mouth pressed against Dele’s ear so that he could hear him. “Eric” Dele wined again, his uninured arm reached to wrap around Eric’s shoulders, weakly pulling to get his closer when that was kind of impossible. 

“You, you weren’t there- I, I- you weren’t- I asked them as soon as they got me, to call you, you weren’t here and I-” Dele’s words were scrambled and broken by hiccuped breaths, and Eric felt thrm right through the centre of his chest, his body ached with it as he curled Dele into him, hand steadily petting at Dele’s neck. 

“I’m here, I’m here love, I came here right away, as soon as they told me” Eric told him, rocking Dele ever so slightly, to try and calm him, distract him from the anxiety consuming his body. It wasn’t unlike when Dele would wake from a nightmare, the familiar unsteady hitch of breath, his body radiating fear. 

“Eric” Dele muttered, voice small and scared. Eric shook his head, turned his face in to press kisses into Dele’s hair, his hand smoothing up and down Dele’s upper back. “Don’t have to worry now, not anymore, I’m here, I’ve got you” Eric muttered, hoping that the soft touches and words in his ear were enough to pull him back to reality. 

“It’s all going to be ok, you know that, they’ve taken care of you Del, so well, your body is ready to recover and I’m here for you” Eric pulled back ever so slightly, felt Dele’s grip tightened but eased back enough to press their foreheads together. 

“Bad bit is over now, it’s all done, you can let me deal with all of the worry now, you just focus on rest and getting better” Eric whispered, like a secret, and reached back to collect Dele’s hand in his own. Dele’ drew in a shuddering breath before his shoulders settled, a small sniffle as he gripped tight to Eric’s hand. He nodded, his breaths seemed to slow as he moved to tuck his face into the curve of Eric’s neck. Eric’s hand fell to Dele’s hair once more, the other still tangled up in Dele’s tight grip. 

Eric kept him anchored there as he settled, pressed kisses into Dele’s hair every few breaths, half for Dele and half for his own comfort. In the room that smelt sterile and clean, of antiseptic and plastic, the familiar smell of Dele’s hair settled him. Eventually, Dele let out a small groan, shifting in discomfort. 

“Come on, you need to lie back yeah?” 

Dele let out a huff of annoyance, tucked in close to Eric who let out a breath of a laugh. 

“I’ll stay close, come on baby” Eric encouraged, helped Dele to lay back into the stark white sheets of the bed. The head of the bed was a little way sat up, and Eric shuffled up on his spot on the side of the bed slightly, his hand moved to rest on Dele’s cheek as the boy settled into the pillow. Eric reached with his other hand to pull up the covers to his chest. 

A small smile tugged on Dele’s lips as he looked up Eric, eyes still glassy, a bit faded from the medication. “Sorry” he mumbled and Eric shook his head, leant in over Dele to press a kiss to the end of his nose, the line of the brow. 

“No need to be sorry, silly boy, did give me a real fright though” Eric confessed, tucked one more kiss to Dele’s cheek before he drew back. 

“What happened?” Eric asked, voice soft, he didn’t want to upset Dele but he couldn't help the curiosity, some part of him needed to know the details of the cause of his boy laying in a hospital bed. 

Dele swallowed thickly, let out a small sigh as Eric’s hand found his own once more, fingers tangled together tightly. “Got struck from the side, didn’t see it coming, the other car must've run a red or something? I don’t know, I was sat waiting for my light to go green and then it did and so I went, and then I, I don’t really remember” Dele trailed off, going quiet as he began to fidget his fingers where they were locked with Eric’s. 

Eric let out a heavy breath, nodded his head and focused his eyes on Dele’s hand safe in his own. 

He lifted Dele’s hand back up to his mouth, pressed soft kisses to each knuckle, pressed his nose against the back of Dele’s hand, smiling against his skin. “Glad you’re ok” Eric muttered, the words only half formed against Dele’s skin, closed his eyes for a moment before he felt Dele tug at his hand. 

He blinked his eyes open to look up at his boy, brow dipped in question “can you come here?” Dele asked, and tugged on his fingers, curled them tighter around his own. “I am here” Eric huffed, and Dele just let out an annoyed low sound, tugged again. 

“Here” Dele asked again, and Eric nodded, stood up and watched as Dele slowly shuffled to the edge of the bed, Eric reached out to make sure his arm stayed supported, didn’t slip away from where it was laying on his stomach. 

Eric hesitated when Dele was fully situated into one side of the bed, watching nervously as Dele said his head back into the pillow with a small grunt. “You sure? Don’t wanna hurt anything and the nurses probably have to come do checks soon” Eric worried his teeth at his bottom lip. 

Dele looked up at him with soft eyes, rolled them and Eric’s heart warmed happily at the familiar look, the exasperation when Eric fussed over him, with a small layer of fondness under it. Eric knew Dele liked that he fussed over him, often caught his happy smile or slight flush even if he whined about it to his face. 

“Please” Dele asked after a moment, and warmth spread in Eric’s chest at the simple request. 

“Ok, but you have to tell me if you get pain or anything alright?” Eric requested as he climbed into the bed, fit his body onto the small bed. With limited room, Eric laid on his back and Dele easily curled onto his uninjured side, rested his head on Eric’s chest and laid his injured arm carefully on Eric’s stomach, Eric dropped his hand to gently lay his fingertips over the brace on his hand. The loose hold on it was only to ensure it didn’t slip, that and Eric felt better having a hold on it. 

“Alright?” Eric checked, his other arm curled around the back of Dele’s shoulders to hold him closer, fingers scratched lazily at the back of his neck. Dele let out a big heavy sigh, his body relaxed into Eric easily, the familiar hold on each other. Eric pulled his hand up away from Dele’s cast and bought his fingers to his mouth, pressed a kiss to his fingertips and then gently rested them back over it. 

“Get better” Eric mumbled now that he’d pressed his kiss to it. 

“Thank you, for the kisses” Dele muttered with a small laugh.   
Eric pressed his lips into Dele’s curls with a hum, “you’re welcome baby, get better kisses are essential” he muttered and Dele nodded. 

“Need a lot of them please” Dele requested, tilted his head back slightly. 

The get better kisses had become a thing sometime around Eric’s appendectomy, when Eric’s scars had been covered in dressings, stitches in for healing. The first night they were home from the hospital, when Eric was sprawled out on the bed, waiting for Dele to go come tuck in for sleep, Dele had flopped onto the bed and eyed the three small spots of Eric’s abdomen that were covered in white dressing. He’d pressed little kisses around the edges of them and mumbled “get better get better get better”. 

It had become a ritual after that, a comfort thing for when they were sick or hurt, something small that made the bleak outcomes of injury not seem so dark. 

“Really?” Eric asked, his voice soft as he kept his hand steady on the back of his neck, tilted his head down to gently press their lips together, a small brush of lips. Eric kept it soft, just drags of their lips, slow and warm, home. Eric pulled back as Dele let out a small sigh, the sound content and no longer unsettled. Eric drew his lips to Dele’s cheek, pressed a kiss there before he pulled across to the other cheek, worked his kisses up Dele’s face, over his nose and his forehead, to his hairline before he dug his nose into Dele’s curls once more. 

“Mmmm, much better” Dele mumbled, and Eric could hear the exhaustion in his voice, smoothed his hand down from his neck to continue rubbing over his back, content for the moment knowing Dele was safe against his chest. He had his boy and he would make sure he was ok, nothing was more important, after all.


End file.
